Before Harry
by Fangirlxo
Summary: James has always watched Lily Potter from across the hallway, entranced by her beauty. As their final year at Hogwarts opens, the time has never been more right, but when Snape and Lily are rumoured to be closer than friends, James has to decide whether to move on or pursue her...


- CHAPTER ONE - 

The Journey Back To Hogwarts

The day dawned bright and warm. Sunlight streamed in through the open window, lighting up a large room.

Sirius rolled over and gazed outside. A soft breeze ruffled his dark hair as he looked at his watch. Nine o'clock.

Any minute now, Mrs Potter would come to wake up the two boys.

Right on cue, a lady appeared at the door. She was pretty, with light brown hair and chocolate coloured eyes.

She smiled at Sirius.

"Oh, good, you're awake. You couldn't, by any chance, wake James up for me? I haven't finished breakfast yet."

"Of course," he was charming and grinned at the friendly woman with emotions one would normally feel for their mother.

"Thank you dear," and after a quick glance at the other, sleeping, boy, she left.

Sirius heaved himself up off his bed and went to wake his friend.

"James, you need to get up."

"Mm ... mm," groaned the figure.

Sirius clasped one end of James' duvet and pulled.

Still, he didn't move.

"Come on," said Sirius.

"Padfoot, go away."

"I'm warning you."

"No," said James.

"Fine," a smile spread across Sirius' face as he groped for his wand. He raised it high into the air and muttered, "Levicorpus."

As if James were a puppet, he flew into the air and fell to the floor.

"Ow! You prat!"

"Sorry Prongs, you wouldn't get up. We've got to leave soon."

James scowled as he disentangled his feet from his shoulders and stood up warily, still glaring at Sirius.

Both boys slumped down the stairs and followed the smell of freshly made breakfast.

The kitchen was arguably the best room of the whole house, with its marble flooring and stunning country views. The pancakes were frying themselves, pumpkin juice was being poured into glasses by invisible hands and Mrs Potter was whistling cheerfully whilst dashing around grabbing plates.

James and Sirius sat down, their minds only on their rumbling stomachs.

"There you go," said Mrs Potter, flicking her wand to make the covered plates fly towards the table.

"Eat quickly, then you need to change. Yes," she said, catching her son's eye, "both of you." Neither of the boys replied to her, as they had begun to stuff their faces full of food.

It wasn't long before the plates were being magically washed and the boys were stumbling up the stairs. Sirius kicked the door open and swung open the door of the wardrobe, grabbing the nearest things that resembled clothes in the slightest way.

"Will you grab some for me?" James had sat down on his bed, his head wavering temptingly close to his comfy pillow.

Sirius rolled his eyes but grabbed some clothes for him all the same. As they both started to change, James moaned, pulling a blue hoodie over his hair.

"Stupid things these are. Why would you want to wear this? Muggles have stupid taste, its so itchy!"

There was always something wrong with the clothes in James' mind. He was never happy with anything unless it had been personally chosen by him.

"They aren't that bad," said Sirius, shoving a green one on.

Soon, both boys were changed, had grabbed their trunks and wands, and started to pack their things into the car.

"That's it, well done." Mrs Potter beamed at the two as they slid comfortably into the back of the vehicle. The Mercedes resembled a perfectly ordinary car to the muggle eye, but inside it had been stretched and altered to resume the size of a huge limo.

"Before we set off, have you boys left anything? My husband won't be pleased if he finds out that we've missed the train because you forgot things at home."

"I think I have everything," said Sirius absentmindedly.

"Yep, got everything mum," said James, who was feeling rather bored.

So, finally, they set off. Every two minutes or so, James would prod Sirius and then he would hex James who would, after attempting the imperius curse for a laugh, get shouted at by a stressed Mrs Potter.

After about half an hour, the station came into sight. The car pulled up outside and everyone got out, Sirius brushing his long hair out of his eyes.

"Right, grab your bags out of the car and we'll make our way to the platform." Mrs Potter opened the boot of the car with a discreet wave of her wand. As soon as the boys had their trunks and Mrs Potter had hold of Mawkin's cage (James' barn owl) they started to make their way through Kings Cross Station.

Muggles on their phones, checking their tickets and talking to each other were passing the three. Eventually, they came up to a brick column with the number 9 on the left side and 10 on the right side.

"Okay, James, you go first." With his metal trolley in hand, James charged at the barrier. The station whizzed by, Muggles jostling past him, complaining about stupid teenagers, when, suddenly, Mrs Potter and Sirius were gone. James smiled as he watched vapour erupt out of the scarlet steam engine.

Back on the other side, Mrs Potter was fussing over Sirius. Within one minute of the two starting to run, they had joined James on Platform 9 3/4.

"Right boys, go find a compartment, quickly, you don't have much time!" Sirius and James, trunks in hand, stumbled onto the old train.

Throngs of Hogwarts students filled the carriage corridors, friends greeting each other, wild tales of indoor duelling gone wrong, one boy even claimed that he had turned his mother into a hippo.

"She went big and grey, steadily getting fatter, which is hard if you know my mum and suddenly...POOF! A huge African hippo was standing in front of me, in a pink frilly shirt with glasses. My dad couldn't believe it, he needed therapy afterwards."

Further along the train, two silhouettes were arguing. James shot Sirius an awkward look as they moved closer.

"For God's sake Severus, don't be so pathetic!"

"Lily, they think I'm a bloody freak 'cause I'm a Slytherin!"

"C'mon, just show them your not...the same as the rest."

"What do you mean the rest? We're not all evil goblins that walk around trying to kill people, you know! I'm not going to sit with you if you insist being friends with such judgemental...people."

"Severus! They know your not a mass murdering psychopath, your overreacting."

"Potter! Black!" Snape's lip curled as he caught sight of the two boys.

"Hello Snivelly, not being a meanie are we? Not to Miss Evans I hope." Sirius shot James a sideways glance as he advanced on Snape, his eyes gleaming with malice.

"Shut up Black." Snape shifted his gaze towards a silent James. "Potter, you seem awfully quiet." As if he had been hit, Snape's eyes widened, visions of a huge willow, and a morphed figure not far off. The well-known howling, the run down, 'haunted' shack. The vicious memories of times before ate at Severus' mind.

"Not playing tricks on me again, are we? Not perfect Potter and his best mate. Not newly elected Head Boy Potter." He spat out the words, leaving the disgusting taste of loathing in his mouth.

James shook himself awake, and focused on Snape. "Shut your pathetic mouth Snivelly."

"Don't talk to Sev like that." A red-headed figure stepped in front of the boy. James could almost smell her perfume, count the freckles on her face and run his fingers down her back. He wrung his hands, trying to distract himself.

Sirius watched James with concern in his eyes, wondering what in the name of Merlin was up with his friend.

James looked up into those beautiful emerald eyes and felt the anger, the hatred. She hated him and would never differ.

"Come on Lily, let's leave this two dunderheads to their preening." Snape grabbed Lily's hand and marched firmly past James, taking great care to knock into him.

"Um...Evans..." James turned round to face Lily, avoiding her eyes.

"What?"

"We...we..."

"If your talking about the meeting with Professor Dumbledore, I already know." James nodded his head meekly as Lily left with Snape, cursing his stupid mouth.

Sirius led James into the empty train compartment before slamming the door hard and turning to look at him.

"Prongs, what's up with you? You've been acting weird since we've boarded this train." James looked out the window, watching London grow farther and farther away.

"Hello? Prongs? You even listening to me?"

"Just shut up Padfoot." His mind was racing back to Lily. The colour of her cheeks, the curve of her waist the-

"Bloody hell James! What's up?"

"Nothing, just Snape."

"Snivelly? Oh Prongs, I know he's a bloody prat, but why ponder? You can take points from him now you're Head Boy, I only hope Evans doesn't then take them from me. She really does seem to hate me and you, shame, she's not bad looking." Sirius laughed at his own remark, James felt the muscles in his jaw tense.

"What does she see in Snivellus anyways? He's an ugly great idiot who doesn't know how to wash his hair."

"I dunno, but does it really matter Prongs? It's not as if she's your girlfriend! Hopefully she won't drag him along with her whilst you guys are on patrol. That reminds me, promise you won't tell on me to the Professors, I don't fancy loosing another 50 points like that last time. Mcgonagall can be a witch when she wants to be."

James slowly nodded in agreement, his thoughts no where near the strict transfiguration teacher.

In a room not far down from James and Sirius, Lily and Snape sat talking.

"Potter" Snape said disgust. "Stupid Potter."

"Oh Sev, let's not talk about him, please." Lily took Snape's hand in her's and sat next to him, her head resting on his shoulder.

"Yeah, but-"

"Please?"

"Okay, anything for you." Snape smiled at the stunning girl.

Lily reached up to his face and stroked the familiar line of his cheekbone.

"Lil-"

"Yes Sev?" she bit her lip. Lily knew that she liked Severus, she always had, but it didn't feel like...like how she always imagined it would feel.

"I just wanted to say that you're the most beautiful girl I've ever met."

Lily felt her face flush the colour of her crimson hair.

Snape's smooth finger ran down the side of her mouth as he leaned closer to her.

There was barely two inches between them now, their noses touching.

"Sev, I-" but Lily didn't get to finish her sentence as Snape's lips were already upon her's.

Snape wasn't a particularly good kisser, he kept knocking into Lily, but other things were on her mind.

She had kissed people before, yet, with Snape, it felt as if she was starting again, with absolutely no idea what she was doing, and it didn't feel comfortable. It wasn't that she didn't like kissing Sev, she did, but, she didn't feel fireworks. Lily couldn't deny that she had feelings for Snape, that she loved him, but...

Lily pulled away, not wanting her mind to wander back to her doubts. She and Sev were good for each other, right?

Snape grinned down at Lily and brushed a strand of his ebony hair out of his face. She half-returned his smile and he slipped his hand round her shoulder.

Seeing Sev's disappointed face, Lily changed the subject quickly.

"Hey, we need to change, we'll be at Hogwarts soon." Then, as an afterthought, "I also want some sweets." Lily stood up, her small purple money bag in her hand.

"I'll come,"

"No, you stay here and change. I'm gonna go see Alice afterwards."

Snape rolled his eyes but didn't protest.

"Lily slid the door open and slipped past, eyes searching for the plump witch.

"Anything from the trolley dear?" A nice looking, slightly aged, lady came up to Lily, indicating the stacks of magic sweets.

"Just two pumpkin pasties please," Lily placed a small handful of silver sickles into the lady's outstretched palm.

With one pasty in her mouth, an armful of her Hogwarts robes and food from the trolley, Lily made her way towards her best friend, Alice Prewett's compartment.

Three girls sat giggling as Lily stepped in, all crowded around one short haired teen. The girls were around Lily's age, some wearing fluorescent pink lipgloss.

"Seriously! He did that Ali?!" said a blonde haired girl.

"I know, right?" Alice looked up, catching sight of Lily. Her face turned into a look of mock concern.

"Hey Lils, we were starting to worry 'bout you."

"Sorry, something came up with Sev."

Alice raised her dark eyebrows, "Something, eh? You gonna confide in your best mates?"

"Nah," Lily tried as best she could to hide her face from view.

"Lils, what's going on! What's Snape done?"

"Nothing!" Lily touched her lip lightly the kiss still lingering on her mind.

"Lily?" Suddenly, realising why she was touching her lip, Alice shouted.

"You kissed Sev! She kissed Sev!"

"No! What makes you think that?"

"You have! I can totally see it in your eyes!" Alice's mouth broke into a huge smile as she laughed hysterically.

"Ali-" but there was no point. For the rest of the train ride the girls would not shut up about it. Lily was glad when she got out of the Hogwarts' Express and happily gazed at her favourite place in the whole world.


End file.
